Kneeling pad



w. HO LM ES KNEELING PAD prii 8, 1930.

Filed Oct. 24, 1928 mire Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM HOLMES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS KNEELING PAD Application filed October 24, 1928. Serial No. 314,715.

10 formed to provide a knee receiving pad and a suction cup for engagement with a work surface which cup prevents slipping.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad which is supported some 15 distance above a work surface by a suction cup for the prevention of injury to the wearer from obstacles on the work surface.

A still further obj-ectof the invention is to provide a kneeling pad having a supporting cup which is suitably reinforced by ribs and at the same time is sufliciently resilient so as v to be comfortable in use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad with a suction cup for enga 'ng a work surface in which the suction e ect is controlled by the knee of the wearer.

A yet further object of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad having a substantially elliptical suction cup'with its major axis transversely of the pad and which cup is reinforced by ribs integrally formed.

' A yet further object of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad of moldedrubber having a knee receiving pad and a suction cup integraltherewith of suflicient height to pre- --.vent puncture of the pad andin which the suction is controlled by the knee of the wearer.

Another and further object of the invention is to provide a kneeling pad of molded rubber which is economical to manufacture and efi'icient in use.

' The above, other, and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings, and appended claims. 7

According to the invention the kneeling pad ismolded from resilient material, such as rubber, so as to make a one piece structure. The pad includes a recess for the knee and on ment of the knee of the wearer.

the bottom of the recess is provided a cup suitably reinforced but at the same time sufficiently resilient as to be comfortable'which cup is of sufiicient height to prevent puncture of the pad and injury to the knee of the wearer. The cup serves as a suction cup to pre vent slipping even though the user is working on a tile, stone, or similar surface, and in which the suction is controlled by. the move- One form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the illustrated form of the invention shown as applied to the knee of a wearer and showing how the same appears when in use.

Figure 2 is a side elevationalview of the illustrated form of the invention.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the kneeling pad.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical central section through the illustrated pad.

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional view on line VV of Figure 4.

The form'of the invention illustrated comprises a pad fashioned ofresilient material, such as rubber, and made in one piece. The pad includes a knee receiving recess or pocket 1 which is defined by a front Wall 2 and side walls 3 which are integral with the front wall as is obvious. A cup 4 is formed by a downwardly depending portion 5 which is substantially elliptical in plan view arranged with its major axis transversely of the pad so as to provide whole, complete, and comfortable support for the wearer. The cup 4; is made sufficiently high so as to prevent puncture of the pad by obstacles on the work surface. Reinforcing ribs 6 are provided for strengthening the wall 5 and for supporting the surface 7 of the pad overlying the space formed by the cup wall 5.

The surface 7 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 8 which communicates with the cup 4 and also with the knee portion 1.

The side walls 3 are provided with lace receiving apertures 9 and 10 the apertures 9 being shown as elongated slots and the apertures 10 as eyelets whereby suitable laces 11 may be utilized to attach the pad to a knee of a wearer as shown in Figure 1.

A projection 12 is formed on the underside of the rear portion of the pad behind the cup 4 to serve as a stop for the lace 11 where the same passes around the body of the pad behind the cup 4.

A front lug 13 having a pointed portion 14 is provided whereby an additional attaching strap may be applied when the kneeling pad is used by a person who has occasion to get up on his feet a number of times during the progress of his work. This is especially true of carpet layers and the like who have to move about continually in laying carpets. The lace passed around the front lug 13 would then keep the front end of the pad in position so as to underlie the knee when the wearer knelt as shown in Figure 1.

Suction within the cup 4 is controlled by the action of the knee of the wearer with respect to the aperture 8. The device is used as shown in Figure 1 in which event the knee of the wearer would press against the aperture 8 thus closing the same thereby creating suction within the cup 4, which suction would prevent slipping of the kneeling pad on the work surface. The wearer when desiring to shift his position would raise his knee slightly to open the aperture 8 whereupon suction within the cup 4 would be freed thus releasing the cup for movement to another position on the work surface.

The kneeling pad of this invention is intended for use by cement workers, scrubwomen and others who are compelled as a part of their work to assume kneeling positions. The form and shape of the pad is such as to be comfortable and at the same time to be so constructed as to prevent slipping when in use. The pad being made of resilient material such as rubber is therefore comfortable and at the same time resilient enough to accommodate itself to the work surface for creating suction within the cup for preventing slipping. Furthermore, the pad being constructed of resilient material such as rubber is economical to manufacture and highly efficient in use.

The provision of the suction cup prevents slipping at all times as there is nothing to wear out or become smooth so as to defeat the suction efiect of the cup.

The provision of the aperture to the suction cup provides a selective suction control means which when closed serves as a very efficient prevention against slipping. It also allows ready movement of the pad by slight movement of the knee of the wearer to break the suction in the cup when the wearer may readily move to another position and when his knees press against the surface 7' of the cup will close the aperture 8 in the pad thus creating suction for preventing slipping.

The arrangement of the cup transversely of the pad adds to the comfort of the wearer in that the pressure of the knee against the cup is distributed over a comparatively large area thus adding to the usefulness of the article.

Reinforcing insets 3 may be molded in the outer surface of the walls 3 to strengthen said walls about the lace receiving apertures 9 and 10, and to prevent tearing of the walls by the laces 11. Such insets may be of fabric or other suitable material and may be of suitable size and shape.

The'invention has been described as made of rubber, although it is of course susceptible of manufacture of other resilient material and therefore the invention is not to be limited to a pad constructed wholly of rubber.

The invention has been described herein more or less precisely yet it is to be understood that changes may be made in the ar-.

rangement and proportions of parts and that equivalents may be substituted all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A one piece molded kneeling pad of resilient material'including a knee receiving recess and having a suction cup for engaging a work surface, said pad having an aperture communicating with the interior of said cup and said recess disposed so as to be closed by the knee of the wearer for creating suction within said cup.

2. A kneeling'pad formed of molded rubber comprising a knee portion having integral sides and front end, wall, a single suction cup on the outer part of said portion substantially elliptical in plan and arranged with its major axis transversely of said portion, said cup serving as the sole support of said pad on a work surface.

3. A kneeling pad formed of molded rubber comprising a knee portion having integral sides and front end wall, a suction cup on the outer part of said portion substantially elliptical in plan and arranged with its major axis transversely of said portion, and reinforcing ribs integrally formed with said cup and said knee receiving portion for strengthening said cup.

4. A kneeling pad formed of molded rubber comprising a knee portion having integral sides and front end wall, a suction cup on the outer part of said portion substantially elliptical in plan and arranged with its major axis transversely of said portion, said knee portion having an aperture therein communicating with the interior of said cup and normally closed by the knee of the wearer for creating suction in said cup and opened by movement of the knee relatively to said knee portion for breaking the suction.

5. A molded rubber kneeling pad compris-,

ing aknee engaging portion and a suction cup, the cup being of sufficient height to pre-.

vent puncture of the knee portion when in use, a wall serving as the bottom of said knee engaging portion and the top of said cup, said wall having an aperture therethrough disposed so as to be normally closed by the knee of the wearer and means on said knee portion including apertures and lugs for receiving laces to retain said pad in position on a wearers knee.

6. A kneeling pad of molded rubber including a knee engaging portion and a suction cup, said cup having diagonally disposed reinforcing ribs integral with said cup and said knee portion for preventing spreading of the wall of said cup when in service.

7. A kneeling pad formed of molded rubber comprising a knee portion having integral side and front end walls, a suction cup on the outer part of said portion substantially coextensive with the width of said pad, and diagonally disposed integrally formed reinforcing ribs between said cup and said knee receiving portion for strengthenlng said cup.

8. A kneeling pad formed of molded rubber comprising a knee portion having integral side and front end walls, a suction cup on the outer part of said portion, said knee portion having an aperture therein communicating with the interior said cup and normal- 1y closed by the knee of the wearer for creating suction in said cup and opened by movement of the knee relatively to said knee portion for breaking the suction.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois.

WILLIAM HOLMES. 

